The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-09

TO the Governor OF Virginia in oppo
sition 10 capital punishment:
MnIFms. TESE., January 8. 1926.
70 His ExseIleney the Governor Of Virginia.
IN the matter Of the execution OF Clu
veriue;
SIR-When you cav fit in the exer
else OF your executive clemency Il
postpone for q short time the execu
tion Of the sentence OF death upon
Cluverius, convicted OF murder, and
apparently with no pallisting circum'
anoes, the public was given TO under
stand, through the newspapers, that
no further exercise OF clemency from
you, the now sole arbiter of his fate,
was to be expsctsd. There ia some
thing 30 utterly revolving In the exc.
eution of the death penalty, no matter
how atrocious the crime may have
been which it is claimed justifles such
blood retribution; SOMETHING
90 bsrbsiiC in all its fright
full features, that l beg,
as @ stranger and having no
personal interest whatever in the case
tc treEpays upon your time, as brit q y
rs Enay, in the endeavor to present
for your consideration some views
which msy possibly aid you in review
ing your determination and in chang
ing your decision. No doubt you feel
the gravity OF your own position in
the CAGE, as the tribunal OF last resort
in a matter involving the life or death
OF a fellow man, aud would gladly lean
10 the side OF mercy il you could only
see your way clear to do so. Your own
position, just now, can only regard
rs awful IN carrying out the true ends
OF justice and doing your own duty
and feeling satisfaction iRthe result.
/ am well aware that Vicious pub
lie sentiment is clamorous for VEN
geance in all such cases as this; but
should such a taste be cultivated or
pandeTed to, or recognised by one in
official position who has 1t In bis
power TO help develop and give direc-
tion TO q better sentimenti There are,
on the other hand, mullitudes OF
thoughtful people who have studied
deeply into the springs of human &C.
ton, and the proper and best methods
OF dealing with criminals and curing
crime, and who, while they admit to
the full the rights Of society in the
matter OF self protection, yet aleo cay
that society has certain duties 10 per-
form even toward its worst elements
sud while they say this, they also say
that even criminals OF the worst type
have rights and duties. 1t is plainly
the right OF society TO prevent crime,
OF tho repetition OF II, by the
proper punishment OF the criminal;
bat while we talk about duty IL Ia
equally true that the highest dictates
Of duty require on the part OF society
q proper effort for the reformation Of
the criminal and the elevation and
training Of this class, aud when this
has been faithfully done and the end
gained by the uplifting forcs OF virtue
then society will also have best gained
its rights, for crime will cease to exist.
The true aud sole aim Of punish.
ment, either 10 the family or the Stats,
or in what we call the divine govern
ment, phould always be the reforma-
ton OF the individual, and whenever
any other motive prompts the punish
ment then 1t falls 10 the low and UNI
worthy plane OF malice, vindictive-
meas, hate and revenge. 1t eeems TO
me that this Ia 30 plain that IL needs
only 10 be stated to be universally ad.
mittad.
Let me emphasizes this by repeating
that the true end and sole aim Of pun.
ishment should always be disciplinary
and meant for the good OF the individ-
nal, and whenever It transcends this by
soFmuGh as hairs breadth, il becomes
tyrannical aEd vindictive aud the
sentiment Of justice in every intelli-
gent mad 10 shocked and outraged.
But is this reformation accomplished
in any sense by the hanging OF q man
by the neck by rope and by his
Murder is defined in
legal terms rs "the killing OF man by
o zane person with malice pie
perse, or aforethought.
To constitute murder GOODNESS, de.
Liberation, preparation and nalice
mutt enter into the case. What one
OF these factors is wanting, let me ask,
on the part OF society In tue execution
OF q convicted criminal
The malicious intent is clearly
enough shown by the demand of re.
taliatlon in kind exhibited by the ex-
action OF life for life and blood for
blood, aad rs TO the CELEBRATE prepa.
ration d generalization In the pres
ent iastancs two years have elapsed
without any ab ltement OF our deadly
and stem preparation for it's deadly
IL society sane when shs
docs thar And il 30 is such
an execution anything less
than q deliberate and well cen.
siteTCd judicial murter2 Il such
con1uc. worthy OF Intelligent
psople? Does conscience approve it as
an act of nigh religious duty ? Does tho
law OF retaliation ever accomplish any
goodp Will Tho hanging Of Oluverius
set matters right and rs they wers
before the death Of his victim, az.
his guilt? Did the killing OF
Booth reftors Lincoln to life or did
the hanging Of Guiteau bring back
Ga, 6ld2 Who now, in the light of
shblequent EVENT., imsgines that any
good was accomplished by the hang.
ing OF old john Brown2 Whose
cheek dots not tiugle a. the recol-
lection OF the hanging tf Mrs. ~uuatt
with such indecent ha to and with
suoh venom to satisfy the wild
olamor Of populace and nation
whose passions were then at VIII TO
heatR Was enything whatever &C.
Complehet in either of the cases
cited but the qualification Of an insaue
public ma ice, and only to be excused
because irsaneP Not to make
thisl paper too long, there are
some considerations which | wish
to pres Mt aud urge for your
careful though. There either is a
iutuTe lie or there Is pot. II there is
not, tten ths lengthening or shorten.
ing of this earthly life by few DAYS
or yeirs makes little difference 10 the
individual, ,xcspt in the tragic and
Irightlu ue.rod Of his exit; bat our
orthodox friends tell us that there Is a
continued individuslzsd existence
after old go o. disease or the halter
have done their work and have ended
this; aud although they have never
yet besn abe 10 prove it to us, yet thu